1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a docking station, and more particularly, to a docking station whose connector can be expanded or contracted by a linkage.
2. Description of the Related Art
The major difference between the laptop computer and the conventional desktop computer is that the laptop computer is designed to be lighter, thinner, shorter, and smaller, such that it is more portable, and users can operate the computer in different environments. However, the laptop computer is also limited by its compact design, thus the functionality and expandability are not as good as the conventional desktop computer.
Therefore, a docking station with a connector was introduced in the prior art. The peripheral devices such as mouse, printer, external hard drive, network interface adapter (NIC), or scanner can be electrically connected to the docking station for a long-term use. When the user needs to use these peripheral devices, the laptop computer is connected to the docking station, and the peripheral devices can be electrically connected to the laptop computer. Accordingly, while enjoying the convenience of the laptop computer, the user can also do without repeatedly plugging in and out the peripheral device(s) into/from the laptop computer, with the docking station. Therefore, the user can enjoy the same level of the functionality and expandability as the desktop computer offers.
However, since the connector mentioned above is fixed on the docking station, and located below the laptop computer while the laptop computer is connected to the docking station, it is not easy for the user to align the position of the laptop computer onto the docking station when connecting the laptop computer to the docking station, and the connector or the laptop computer can be easily damaged due to the misalignment between the laptop computer and the docking station.